Adjustable connector



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m mi r W BY f /7 TTa/Y/VE V July 11, 1961 w. F. KUssY ADJUSTABLE CONNECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 5. 1957 United States Patent O 2,992,291 AlDJUSTAB E CONNECTOR Werner F. Krissy, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Square D Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 3, 1957, Ser. No. 681,490 6 Claims. (Cl. 174-88) This invention relates to an adjustable connector for use in electrical `feeder duct systems including non-adjustable sections of 'feeder duct.

Modern electrical installations often employ an assembly of end-to-end connected duct sections of iixed length for distributing power to different locations. The greatest economy can be obtained if each of the duct sections is of the same length. However, most runs of duct are not multiples of duct sections of fixed length, so that some adjustability must be provided in the system. `Installations using the feeder duct presently known to the art thus require one or more specially made lengths of duct or necessitate the use of flexible con ductors to span distances less than the length of a duct section.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connector of adjustable length for electrically and mechanically interconnecting sections of yaligned yfeeder duct axially spaced apart different distances.

A further object is to provide an adjustable connector for interconnecting axially spaced sections of duct including means for positioning the adjustable conductors of the connector to facilitate adjust-ment in length of the connector.

A further object is to provide an adjustable connector for interconnecting ax-ially spaced sections of duct having an insulated enclosure of adjustable length.

A further object is to provide an adjustable connector for interconnecting axially spaced sect-ions of duct having numerous interchangeable components.

An adjustable connector in accord-ance with this invention comprises a plurality of rigid bus con-necting bars having a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings for cooperation with transposing means arranged for attachment to the terminal portions of bus bars disposed in fixed lengths of duct and all contained within an insulated enclosure of -adjustable length.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

FiG. l is a side elevation of the connector in place between two `duct sections.

FIG. 2 is a view ltaken from the top of FIG. l, partially in section, and with a portion of the enclosure broken away.

FIG. 3 `is a side elevation of some of the conducting portions of the connector in assembled position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line lV-IV in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View of a portion of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally as indicated at Vl-Vl in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the conducting portions of the connector. l

FIG. 8 is an exploded view showing how the insulated enclosure is assembled with the conducting portion.

An adjustable connector in accordance with the present invention is shown at 1 in FIG. 1 as interconnecting two sections of `ducts 2 and 3. The connector 1 is provided with a center enclosure section 4 of channel-like configuration which overlies a pair of end enclosure sections 5 and 6 in telescoping relationship. The enclosure sections 4, 5 and 6 extend only to the center of Patented July 1.1, 1961 the duct sections 2 and 3. Therefore complementary enclosure sections 4, 5 and 6 are provided on the other side to form a complete enclosure.

Each of the yduct sections 2 and 3 has a top channel 7 and a bottom channel 8 with a pair of insulating side members 9 interposed therebetween. The top and bottom channels 7 and 8 are held together in parallel spaced relationship by a plurality of longitudinally spaced cross bars 11 which cooperate vwith a plurality of bolts 12 passing therethrough and through the channels 7 and 8. The end enclosure sections 5 and 6 are respectively provided with cross-members 13 which may be welded in position. The center enclosure section 4 has va pair of spaced cross-members 14 attached thereto as by welding, the members 13 and 14 cooperating with tie-bolts 15 and 16 to lock the respective sections in position. Alignment bolts 17 position, the center enclosure sections 4 4 with respect to the duct sections 2 and 3 `as will be described hereinafter.

As best seen in Fig. 4, the feeder duct sections 2 and 3 comprise a plurality of flat bus bars 21, 22, 23, and 24 interposed between the side members 9 and spaced apart from each other by a plurality of iiat insulating members 25 and exteriorly enclosed by a plurality of top and bottom insulating laminations 26.

The bus bar 21 of each of the duct sections 2 and 3 is provided with an oiset terminal portion 31 (FIGS. 2 and 5) which provides space for connection, as by a nut and bolt, to a translating conducting member 33 having a lterminal portion 34 and a longitudinally extending portion 35 disposed at right angles thereto. The portion 35 is provided with a plurality of spaced holes 36 (FIG. 7) to secure, on opposite sides thereof, a pair of connecting bus bars 37 and 38 Kas by nuts yand bolts. A plurality `olf longitudinally spaced adjustment holes 39 in the connecting bus ybars 37 and 38 provide for adjustment of the connector 1 to any of a plurality of desired lengths.

The next adjacent bus bar 22 of each of the duct sections 2 and 3 has ian oiiset terminal portion 32 to which a translating member 41 having `a terminal portion 42 adapted for nut yand bolt connection to the portion 32 of the bus bar 22 `and a connecting portion 43 adapted for nut and bolt connection to a pair of connecting bus bars 44 and 45.

A plurality of longitudinally spaced holes 46 and 47 are provided in the connecting bus bars 44 `and 45 and in the connecting portion 43, respectively, having like spaced relation to the holes 39 in the bars 37 and 3S to allow for longitudinal adjustment. The holes 36, 39, 46 and 47 can be enlarged to provide for continuous adjustment of the connector.

It is to be understood that only one half of the electrically connected portions of the duct sections 2 and 3 has been illustrated in detail for purposes of simplicity, the other half including the bus bars 23 and 24 having like offset portions and translating members and connected by like connecting bars.

The duct sections 2 and 3 are mechanically tied together at the top and bottom thereof as by overlying tie members one of which is shown as a channel member 51 (FIG. 8) having a plurality of adjustment holes 53 arranged in the same longitudinally spaced relation as the adjustment holes 39 and 46 on the connecting bus bars 37, 38 and 44, 45 respectively. The holes 53 are adapted to align with a plurality of holes 54 in the top and bottom channels 7 and 8 to effect the mechanical tie between the respective duct sections 2 and 3. The enclosure end section `6 has `a side panel 55, a top panel 56, a bottom panel 57, and an end panel 58. The end panel 58 is provided with an offset tongue portion 59 that engages an L-shaped cross-strap 52 on the duct sections. An insulating plate 6-1 is provided on the interior of the side panel 55 of the end section 6 to insulate the enclosure from the electrically conducting members of the connection. As `best seen in FIG. 6, a locator block 62 secured to the side panel 55 of the end section 6 engages an extending portion of the outer insulating member 25 to maintain the member 25 in position. A pair of insulating side plates 64 are attached to the locator block 62 to cover the extending bolts which attach the translating members 33 to the terminal portions 31 of the bus condoctors 21.

Each of the center sections 4 of the enclosure is provided with a side panel 71, a top panel 72 and a bottom panel 73 that telescopes over the panels 55', 56 and 57, respectively. Center alignment notches 74 are provided in the top and bottom panels 72 and 73, respectively, which cooperate with respective alignment screws 17 to position the center enclosure 4. Each of the center sections 4 is provided with an insulating panel 75 to electrically insulate the section from the conducting members of the adjustable connector.

Assembly of the adjustable connector 1 of the present invention is initiated by securing the overlying channel members 51 to the top and bottom channels 7 and 8, respectively, of the feeder duct to mechanically tie the feeder duct sections 2 and 3 together at a preselected spacing.l The adjustment holes 53 provided in the overlying channel 51 cooperate with the holes 54 in the terminating ends of the top and bottom channels 7 and 8 to provide for such adjustment. The electrically conducting bus bars 21, 22, 23 and 24 are next connected by rst attaching the translating members 33 and 41 to the terminal portions 31 and 32 of their associated bus conductors 21 and 22. The connecting bus bars 37-38 and 44-45 are then attached to their associated translating members 33 and 41 using the holes 39 and 46 corresponding to the holes 53. It is seen that each of the connecting bus bars 37, 3S and 44, 45 is translated to and lies in a plane normal to the planes of the conductors thus providing for adequate electrical spacing between the connecting members. The conducting portions are then enclosed by attaching the end enclosures 5 and 6 to each side of the duct sections 2 and 3 by engaging the tongue portions 59 with their associated L-shaped channel straps 52. The tie bolts 15 on the top and bottom of the enclosure sections 5 and 6 are then inserted and tightened. The center enclosure sections 4 are then placed in overlying and telescoping relationship to the end enclosures 5 and 6 and are secured together by the tie bolts 16 and positioned by the aligning `bolts 17. Thus it will be seen that any desired span between adjacent duct sections and within the range of the connector 1 can be electrically and mechanically bridged.

What is claimed is:

1. A connector for interconnecting two substantially coaligned sections of bus duct having a space therebetween and each of said sections including a plurality of bus yconductors with terminal portions having longitudinally spaced holes disposed at each end thereof, respectively, said connector comprising a plurality of rigid tie members for mechanically joining said duct sections, said members including means for adjusting the eifective length thereof depending upon the length of the said space, a plurality of conducting translating members each having a terminal section, a connecting section and a translating section extending therebetween, said terminal sections having spaced holes, respectively, arranged to cooperate with selected ones of said spaced holes in said terminal portions, respectively, to facilitate interconnection between said translating members and said bus conductors, respectively, said connecting sections being provided with a plurality of spaced holes, a plurality of rigid bar-like conducting connecting members each having a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes at each end portion thereof, said end portions of said conducting members being Vsecured to said connecting portions of said translating members, respectively, by means received in selected ones of said holes in said end portions and in said holes in said connecting portions, the translating members secured to the end portion of each conducting member being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the length of said space so that said holes in each of said terminal sections can be aligned with selected ones of said holes in a terminal portion of one of said bus conductors, and an enclosure arranged to be detachably engaged with said duct sections so as to extend therebetween around said conducting members and tie-members and said enclosure having a plurality of sections in telescoping relationship for adjustment to the length of said space.

2. A connector as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the plane of said translating section of each of said translating members is normal to the plane of its respective terminal section.

3. A connector as set forth in claim l characterized in that said enclosure comprises a pair of end sections and a center section which overlies and extends between said end sections in insulating relationship to said conducting interconnectors and said end sections.

4. A connector for interconnecting two longitudinally spaced groups of bus bars, the bus bars of each group being in flatwise spaced relation and the bus bars of one group being substantially coaligned with the bus bars of the other group, respectively, said connector comprising a plurality of rigid conducting connecting members, a pair of rigid conducting translating members for each connecting member, means detachably securing a pair of said translating members at adjustable locations along respective end portions of each of said connecting members with each translating member of each pair extending transversely from its associated connecting member in the same direction, and means at the outer end portions of each of said translating members for connecting its associated translating member to an end portion of one of said bus bars, said translating members being so shaped that when translating members at one end portion of said connecting members are connected to respective end portions of the bus bars in one of said groups and the translating members at the other end portions of said connecting members are connected to respective end portions of the bus bars in the other of said groups, said connecting members are spaced from each other and disposed in respective planes substantially normal to the planes of said bus bars.

5. An adjustable connector as set forth in claim 4 ycharacterized in that said connector includes an enclosure having insulating means affixed thereto and enclosing said connecting members and translating members, said enclosure including means for adjustment of its overall length in accordance with the overall length of said connector.

6. An adjustable connector as set forth in claim 5 characterized in that the means for adjustment of said enclosure comprises a plurality of telescoping units.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,261,857 Novak et al. Nov. 4, 1941 2,727,939 Wallace et al Dec. 20, 11955 2,913,513 Dyer et al. Nov. 17, 1959 

